Latics vs. Carlisle United

Sky Bet League Two - Matchday 7

20 October 2020

Latics will look to make it back-to-back wins when they welcome Carlisle United to Boundary Park tonight for a second time this season (7pm KO).

A superb stoppage time solo goal from Zak Dearnley earnt Oldham their first league win of the season last time out at the weekend against Bolton.

Visit the Live Match Centre to access form guides, live text commentary and live audio commentary

Form Guide

The Cumbrians have enjoyed a good start to the season and go into the game on the back of three league wins in a row which has lifted them to 5^th place in the Sky Bet League Two table.

However, Carlisle have not taken their league form into other cup competitions. They have lost both of their opening EFL Trophy matches and as such have been eliminated and also fell at the first hurdle in the Carabao Cup when they went down 3-0 at Boundary Park at the start of last month to kick-off the 2020/21 campaign.

The Cumbrians’ last six:

Carlisle United 3-2 Colchester United
Port Vale 0-1 Carlisle United
Sunderland 5-3 Carlisle United (EFL Trophy)
Carlisle United 1-0 Barrow
Scunthorpe United 1-0 Carlisle United
Carlisle United 2-0 Southend United

Head-to-Head

Latics have won 28 of the 85 meetings between the two clubs.

The last time the clubs met was earlier this season in the Carabao Cup First Round. Goals from Ben Garrity, Bobby Grant and Conor McAleny saw Latics ease into the next round with a 3-0 win.

Prior to this game, Latics had won none of the previous six games against Carlisle and you have to go back to April 2014 for the last time Oldham secured three points against the Cumbrians in the league.

Watch Out For

Midfielder Jon Mellish has scored five goals in nine appearances for Carlisle so far this season.

The 23-year old is the club’s top scorer in the league with three and a brace against Sunderland in the EFL Trophy makes up his impressive total.

Melish is a versatile player and has often been utilised in the back four as well as in the midfield.

The South Shields born player began his career with Gateshead before making the move to the Football League with Carlisle last season.

His first season at Brunton Park was less eventful and Mellish made just 22 appearances in all competitions.

Familiar Face

Dean Furman played 148 times for Latics between 2009 and 2013.

Interviews

11072020 ATDSL Episode Nine

11 July 2020

Furman spent nine years as part of the youth set up at Chelsea before moving north of the border to Rangers to get his first taste of senior football.

He got his first taste of English football at Bradford City in August 2018, arriving on a loan deal from Rangers.

At the end of his season with the Bantams, Furman joined Oldham Athletic, signing an initial three-year deal in June 2009.

Whilst at Boundary Park, Furman’s accolades include being awarded the Football League Goal of the Year for a strike against Notts County in August 2010 and being made captain for the 2011/12 season, aged just 23.

His next club was Doncaster Rovers, who he joined on an initial loan deal which was made permanent after he helped them to the League One title.

After his spell at the Keepmoat, Furman returned to his home country to join up with SuperSport United and he made over 100 appearances for the club before making his return to English football with Carlisle.

The Cape Town born midfielder has been capped 56 times for South Africa and has even had the honour of captaining his country.

In The Dugout

Chris Beech is the man in charge currently in the dugout for the visitors.

He was appointed on the 26th November 2019 as the Head Coach of Carlisle after the departure of Steven Pressley.

This is Beech’s first permanent posting as a manager, but he has had a caretaker stint at Rochdale.

The 45-year-old managed to guide Carlisle to 18th in Sky Bet League Two last season, a place above Latics, finishing with 42 points.

Match Officials

Referee: Matthew Donohue
Assistants: Robert Merchant & Steven Meredith
Fourth Official: James Wilson

The Manchester FA official has officiated three games so far this season in the Championship and Carabao Cup giving out nine yellows and a single red card.

Referee Matt Donohue.jpg

His last game involving Latics, apart from in pre-season, was way back in April 2019 where a brace from Callum Lang secured a 2-0 win over Tranmere on another Tuesday evening under the Boundary Park lights.

Sky Bet Odds

The Cumbrians are slight favourites for the game at 8/5, whilst Latics are 13/8 to complete an early season double.

When the two sides met in the league at Boundary Park last season, the game ended level and it is priced at 9/4 to be the same this time around.

Latics won 3-0 when they met in the cup and it is 25/1 for the same outcome this time around.

Please gamble responsibly, for more information visit www.begambleaware.org.

How To Follow The Game

Fixture News

19102020 Carlisle iFollow Codes

19 October 2020

Because the game is classed as behind-closed-doors, supporters can tune into a live match stream with commentary available for all subscribers on iFollow Latics, as Roy Butterworth and Mike Leyland talk you through the action.

This match is available as a live stream for the fee of £10.

Alternatively, supporters can also follow the game with live updates on the club's official Twitter account: @OfficialOAFC.

Oldham Athletic would like to make it clear that all fixtures are still strictly-behind-closed doors with spectators not being allowed entry.

Extensive guidelines are in place for the safety of officials and players whilst the events are taking place.

It is important you do not travel or attempt to visit Boundary Park on the day, especially with the new local restrictions in place.

Match Reports

Latics 1-1 Carlisle United

20 October 2020

Zak Dearnley made it two goals in two games as his late strike earned Latics a point against Carlisle United at Boundary Park.

Unfortunately, at short notice, Assistant Head Coach Alan Maybury stepped in to take charge in the dugout after the news of Harry Kewell’s absence.

There were five changes to the side for the clash as Ian Lawlor, Bobby Grant, Zak Dearnley and Alfie McCalmont returned to the starting XI with Kyle Jameson being handed his full debut.

Chris Beech’s started the game on the front foot with numerous chances being created and the first opportunity arrived in the second minute as right-back George Tanner floated a cross in from the left onto the head of Josh Kayode and his looping header was excellently tipped over the crossbar by Lawlor.

Just minutes after, they continued to attack and nearly got their rewards when Jon Mellish pushed forward and laid the ball off to Gime Toure on the edge of the penalty area, but his curling effort cannoned off the crossbar.

Carlisle must’ve thought they’d taken the lead when Toure powerfully headed towards the bottom corner and it looked destined for the back of the net, but Jordan Barnett managed to clear the effort off the line. Following that, Mellish also caused trouble with a header from close range, but he couldn’t keep his attempt down.

Once again, Tanner raced down the right-flank and delivered a cross into the box and Latics academy graduate, Lewis Alessandra, managed to get onto the end of it, but he clicked his effort just past the far post.

The hosts began to create their own chances which started as Barnett delivered a free-kick onto the head of Grant, but he couldn’t steer his header on target and the danger was cleared.

In the 34th minute, Toure was gifted the best chance of the first-half as Jameson slipped which allowed the onrushing attacker one-on-one with Lawlor, but his strike smashed the post and went out for a goal-kick.

The last chance before the interval fell to Dearnley when Ben Garrity had the vision to slot the striker clean through on goal and he raced goalwards with the ball, but his effort went the wrong side of the post.

The Cumbrians took the lead in the 54th minute as a corner from the left found Aaron Hayden at the front post and the central defender managed to power his header past Lawlor to break the deadlock.

Oldham should’ve been level when Barnett’s free-kick found Garrity in the six-yard box, but the midfielder somehow could only head wide of target which was a big let-off for Carlisle.

However, Latics found an equaliser with 79 minutes on the clock through the in-form Dearnley as substitute Danny Rowe played the ball to him on the edge of the 18-yard-box and the striker kept his composure to open up his body and curl his strike past Paul Farman into the far corner.

Both sides went in search of a late winner, but neither side could craft a clear-cut chance which meant that the game finished 1-1, the same score as the last time the teams met at Boundary Park in the league.

Oldham Athletic XI – Lawlor (GK), Piergianni ©, Garrity, Grant (Rowe 62’), Jameson (Clarke 85’), Ntambwe (Bahamboula 46’), Barnett, McAleny, Dearnley, McCalmont, Hamer.

Subs – Bilboe (GK), Clarke, Jombati, Whelan, Keillor-Dunn.

Goals: Dearnley 79’

Carlisle United XI – Farman (GK), Tanner, Anderton ©, Hayden, Riley (Malley 85’), Guy (Furman 74’), Alessandra, Mellish, McDonald, Kayode, Toure (Reilly 71’).

Subs – Norman (GK), Hunt, Charters, Armer, Furman, Malley.

Goals: Hayden 54’

Referee – Matthew Donohue